 |
|
Committee Proposes Expanded Budget Wants $1.2 million increase "I would reject my own budget outright." ~ Supt. John Phelan
January 30, 2009 — In a heavily attended
public hearing and budget working session, the Hopkinton School
Committee approved a fiscal year 2010 budget to submit to the Hopkinton
Board of Selectmen that includes significantly lower cuts in services
than previously suggested — and no increases in fees.
File photo
Around 40 area residents attended the public
hearing on Thursday, Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m. in the Middle School library,
some with prepared statements on issues relating to the budget and its
possible impact on schools.
The hearing began with Superintendent Dr.
John Phelan's presentation summarizing his proposed budget for 2010. The
presentation succinctly summarized his Fiscal Year 2010 Preliminary
Budget, which is available on the
Committee's Web site . His drafted proposal followed the
Board of Selectmen's request that Hopkinton Public Schools' budget for
2010 remains flat at the level of funding in 2009's budget. His
presentation outlined numerous cuts in personnel — the equivalent of 20
full-time teachers; an increase in the fee per student per sport from
$125 to $200; cuts in sports offered; increased class sizes; and new
activity fees in both the High School and Middle School.
Following Phelan's presentation, many
concerned parents — and two high school students — spoke in a lengthy
public comment period.
Many of the parents who spoke were concerned
that a decline in the quality of education and programs, as well as
increased class sizes, would result from the cuts. Karen Fallon
suggested the Committee consider instituting full-day kindergarten and
charging for it in order to lessen budget shortfalls. The Committee has
been looking into how much support there would be for such a move.
The two high school students in attendance,
as well as one parent, attested that the budget's proposed elimination
of late buses would hurt participation in activities amongst students
whose parents work late.
After these comments, local parent Amy
Ritterbush, who has three children in Hopkinton Public Schools, spoke
passionately in favor of a tax override as a means of maintaining or
improving class sizes and overall quality of education. Ritterbush
encouraged others who would support such a move to raise their hands,
and approximately three quarters of those in attendance did so.
Following this, four residents spoke against
an override and in favor of negotiating with the Hopkinton Teacher's
Association in order to lessen the cost of the Committee's contractual
obligations to union members as well as lessen number of positions cut.
Phelan addressed these parents, saying that the teacher's association
has approached the Committee to speak about its budget, but said he
would not elaborate.
Then one parent, an avid sports fan,
volunteered to pay the entire $489 cost per student per sport that would
be needed to cover the entire athletics program, and another urged the
Committee to preserve academics at all costs and cut middle school
sports first and make parents pay more for high school sports. Phelan
queried those in attendance as to whether they would support an
additional increase of $25 more, from $125 to $225 rather than to $200,
in order to preserve all sports programs. This received an
overwhelmingly positive response. All told, 16 residents spoke during
the comment period, which lasted about 50 minutes.
The Committee then began its final public
budget working session. The Committee agreed fairly promptly that it
would seek a $1.2 million increase in funding over fiscal year 2009's
budget, but would also present its proposal following the Board's
request for flat funding.
Committee member Phil Totino proposed the
$1.2 million increase based on his analysis that it would enable the
schools to maintain their programming and current classroom sizes
without increasing taxes or fees. This would still fall short of the
projected $2.085 fixed budget cost increases outlined in Phelan's
presentation, with cuts in academic supplies, transportation,
professional development and administration costs, as well as others
outlined in Phelan's preliminary FY '10 budget, still in place.
Totino said he believed the Board would be receptive to this idea,
considering it has stated in its FY '10 Budget Message that education
would be its first priority. All of the Committee members agreed that
they would like to have a budget increase of $1.2 million, but disagreed
over a strategy to achieve this.
Totino suggested the Committee submit a
budget requesting the same funding as in 2009, $31,654,425, and then try
to negotiate a higher number from there. However, Commttee member David
Stoldt disagreed, saying the Committee should instead propose a budget
with a $1.2 million increase and include Phelan's flat-budget proposal
as an alternative, knowing they may not receive the full amount they
request."I think it's easier to dress down than it is to dress up,"
Director of Finance Geoff MacDonald said. The Committee members all stated their agreement that Phelan's preliminary budget based on flat funding was inadequate.
Phelan himself stated, "I would reject my
own budget outright."
He explained he drafted the budget in good
faith in order to comply with the Board's request. But Phelan, like the
Committee members, stated that he would not be doing his job as an
advocate for Hopkinton Public Schools if he did not push for more
adequate funding.
Eventually, the Committee adopted Stoldt's
motion to submit a budget proposal that includes Totino's suggested $1.2
million increase, along with Phelan's preliminary proposal and
accompanying materials outlining its potential impact on Hopkinton
Public Schools, in a four to one vote, with Totino opposing the motion.
The Committee is scheduled to submit its budget proposal to the Town Manager on Friday, Jan. 30. The Town Manager is then scheduled to sbmit his a draft of the budget to the Board on Feb. 10, with the board adopting a final budget on March 15.
|
|
The Hopkinton News TM online only at HopNews.com ©2009 HopNews.com All Rights Reserved. 508-435-5534
|
